Geethartha Chinthane 131: Is Humanity in the Body or the Soul?

Doesn’t everyone feel, “I am a human being”? Is this an illusion or the truth? It is an illusion. Humanity (manushyatva) resides in the body. Tomorrow, one could be born as a different creature. Humanity is specific to the body. While the sense of “I” exists, the humanity present in the human body does not transfer to an animal’s body. Hence, we must connect humanity to the soul, not the body. The atman (soul) is the true owner.

The mistake we make is associating humanity with the body. This is incorrect. The soul also resides in the body, but humanity as a concept belongs to the physical body. Our error lies in assuming that the body itself is the soul.

For instance, when we use the word “my,” it inherently means that “I” and “my body” are separate entities. When we say, “I won’t give up even if my life is threatened,” we are confusing the body with the “jiva” (life force). Similarly, statements like “I am thin” or “I am stout” reflect the tendency to equate the soul with the body. However, the atman is neither thin nor stout.

This misunderstanding leads us to accept the physical attributes of the body as belonging to the soul. Recognizing the distinction between the soul and the body is crucial.

Consider the example of fire. When we refer to fire, what we are actually seeing is burning wood. Charcoal glows red when it burns, yet we identify the glowing charcoal as fire. This analogy highlights how we mistakenly attribute qualities of one entity to another.

~ Sri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji of Paryaya Sri Puthige Sri Krishna Matha

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